Understanding by Design-UbD:
In our primary school, the academic program, teaching process and the measurement and assessment planning are based on UbD.
• In the process of instructional design, the UbD plans are prepared not independently, but with a theme-based and holistic approach in core subjects (Turkish, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) which makes cross-curricular connection possible.
• The UbD-based instruction is enriched through differentiated teaching methods and techniques and the students play an active role in the process.
• We focus on ensuring deep learning an understanding with different, alternative measurement-assessment tools (performance, rubric, observation form, self-assessment, peer assessment, control lists, structured grid, branched tree, concept maps, etc.).
Readiness Exams:
In the 3rd and 4th grades, before new subjects are taught in the mathematics classes, a readiness exam is given first to identify the students’ preliminary knowledge, misconceptions, and mislearning about the subject matter, if any.
Acquisition Assessment Exams: In order to identify to what extent the students possess the acquisitions in core subjects, the 4th graders are given an acquisition assessment exam. It tests the students’ ability to comprehend and interpret their learning and to transfer it to daily life.
Mechanical Reading-Writing Exams: They are given to observe the students’ reading-writing progress and speed.
• The skills of reading fluently, pronouncing correctly, and reading out audibly are observed.
• The skills of writing the whole text eligibly, writing the words fully and correctly, and paying attention to the punctuation rules are observed.
According to the results of the exams:
• The students’ individual progress is tracked in a comparative manner throughout the process.
• Individual support is provided to the students if necessary.
• The student observations are shared with the parents and advice is given.
Weekend Mathematics Homework: The homework assigned to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders are designed in a real-life-related and cross-curricular manner to develop prediction, comparison, drawing conclusions, number sense, reasoning, and problem-solving/writing skills.
Exam Analysis and Feedback: The teachers, department heads and school administration are provided information about the grade levels, classes’ and students’ strengths and areas that need to be improved with the reports created according to the exam analyses. The areas to be improved for each grade level and class are improved with reinforcement activities provided by the course teachers. The students are also provided individual support when necessary.
Institutional Question, Homework, Activity, and UbD Plan Banks: In our institutional bank created with an Internet-based software, the different types of questions created by the learning areas of courses (unit, subject, acquisition), homework, activities and UbD plans are archived. Thus, the academic documents are combined and an institutional record is created and opened to the teachers’ access.